Page 39 of Winter Magic at Hollybrae Castle

‘Can you see how many people are looking at us and thinking I’m the luckiest man here?’ Ollie and I are standing safely to one side of the dancing area, having come over to the drinks table for something to do other than think about what just happened, but quickly realised that neither of us actually wanted another drink, and as usual, he knows exactly what to say to make me melt.

‘If you were really my wife, I’d be the luckiest man in the known universe. I feel taller with you beside me.’

‘You’re already six-foot-three! If you weren’t driving, I’d think you were drunk for a line like that.’

‘You know what I mean. You make me feel like I can conquer the world. Any nerves I had about what we’re doing are gone. Of course we can pull this off – I’ve got you.’

He’s standing behind me, one hand on my hip and the other arm around my chest, and I’m clinging onto him, partially because I don’t want to get caught in another cabin crew situation with no back-up, and partially because I still feel unsteady after that kiss, and I like being near him. He makes me feel like the world is full of endless possibilities, and I could achieve any of them with the support of someone who believes in me like he does.

‘I’m sorry about the mistletoe. Rory must’ve jinxed us.’

‘Thank God he did. I…’ I splutter to a halt when I realise that thought was supposed to remain inside my head. Ollie lets out a half-choked noise like he might’ve swallowed a reindeer. There is no way to recover from this. There is no way to pretend I didn’t say that, and I scramble for a way to make it sound like anything other than what it was. ‘From a “selling the part” perspective. If anyone suspected us, they’d soon stop because it’s not like you’d kiss someone who wasn’t your wife under the mistletoe, right?’

‘Right.’ He sounds like the reindeer is still stuck in his throat. His arm tightens around me, and his mouth drops to my ear again. ‘Right,’ he repeats, and this time his lips brush deliberately across the shell of my ear, and I cling onto his arm even tighter because my knees are this close to giving out, and it takes every ounce of willpower to keep myself rooted to the spot, looking resolutely out at the room in front of me.

If I turn even slightly, I’m going to catch sight of him and then I’m not going to be responsible for my actions, which will probably involve jumping on him and kissing the ever-loving daylights out of him because that mistletoe peck was nowhere near enough.

He must sense it too because he stands back upright and puts the tiniest bit of space between our bodies without taking his hands away, and I force myself to exhale and think about something other than that kiss. It was nothing more than a friendly peck, and yet it felt like the world shattered and glued itself back together again in one moment, and… For God’s sake, Lula. Santa’s underwear. Mrs Claus’s bloomers. Which elf cleans out the reindeer stables. Think about anything other than what just happened.

Thankfully, another man and his wife have spotted us and are making a beeline in our direction.

‘Ho ho, Oliver really does have a wife then. I’ve been taking bets on whether he’d made you up.’

Ollie gives him the falsest of false smiles. ‘This is Clint and Gisela. He and I are in the running for the same promotion.’

‘Ahh, Clint. Ollie’s been saying how good you are and how he’s sure you’ll get the position.’ I also give him my falsest smile because, even though Ollie didn’t have a chance to give me any advanced warning, this is surely the colleague who thinks he’s better than everyone else. The superiority radiates from his swaggery walk, slick brown hair and contoured stubble, and Gisela is glugging champagne like a lifeline. Clearly the kind of man who you need a drink to get through an evening with.

‘I’m sure he’s never said anything of the sort.’ Clint offers me a hand to shake and makes it seem like even that small gesture is extending me a great courtesy.

Gisela comes over and gives me a one-armed hug while clinging onto her glass with the other hand. ‘It’s so nice to finally meet you. We’ve heard so much about you!’

‘About my health issues, apparently…’

‘Well, they certainly look good on you, that dress is stunning, and those shoes…’ She lifts my hand and encourages me to spin around, but before I have a chance to, she spots something. ‘You’re not wearing a wedding ring.’

Oh, God. I’m not wearing a wedding ring. This is the first time I’ve even thought about a wedding ring, and I scramble for an explanation. ‘Oh, what an idiot I am! I took it off earlier to do my nails and I must’ve left it right there on the dresser!’

She glances at my bare nails. They are quite clearly not done.

I take a step back into Ollie’s space and give his chest a light smack. ‘Even you didn’t notice!’

‘Indeed, I didn’t.’ He sounds like he’s trying not to laugh again, but I’ve got to sell the part somehow.

Ollie wears his father’s wedding ring and has done since his parents died as a way of keeping his father close, but it hadn’t yet crossed our minds that I don’t have one, and I feel like a right numpty for having overlooked something so obvious.

I hold his hand in front of me like a shield and fiddle nervously with his ring instead, spinning it around on his finger like I would my own. ‘I’ll be sure to pick it up when we get home!’

Clint looks between us with narrowed eyes. He doesn’t buy the wedding ring story for a second.

‘So we’ll be seeing you for Christmas then?’ I say brightly, hoping they can’t hear the desperation for a subject change.

‘Wouldn’t miss it.’ He claps Ollie on the shoulder so hard that it rocks me too. ‘A chance to out-do yer boy here on his own turf! That’s peak Clint, that is. Of course, not all of us are lucky enough to have our own castles so we have to make up for our shortcomings in other ways, like being really bloody good at our jobs and beating all the competition!’

He claps Ollie’s shoulder again in a way that definitely feels more like a thump. ‘Well, must network! See you later, chums!’

‘It was nice to meet you, Lucy! The kids are so excited for Christmas!’ Gisela says as he drags her away.

‘Chums,’ I mutter. ‘Can’t wait to have him over.’